Wiang Chai is a district (amphoe

Amphoe

An amphoe is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as district, amphoe make up the provinces, and are analogous to a county seat...

) in the central part of Chiang Rai Province

Chiang Rai Province

Chiang Rai is the northernmost province of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Phayao, Lampang and Chiang Mai. In the north it borders Shan State of Myanmar and Bokeo of Laos.-Geography:...

, northern Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

.

Geography

Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise) Mueang Chiang Rai

Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai

Mueang Chiang Rai is the capital district of Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Mae Fa Luang, Mae Chan, Wiang Chiang Rung, Wiang Chai, Thoeng, Pa Daet, Phan, Mae Lao, Mae Suai of Chiang Rai Province and Mae Ai of Chiang Mai Province.The important water...

, Wiang Chiang Rung

Amphoe Wiang Chiang Rung

Wiang Chiang Rung is a district of Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Mueang Chiang Rai, Doi Luang, Chiang Khong, and Phaya Mengrai and Wiang Chai of Chiang Rai Province....

, Phaya Mengrai

Amphoe Phaya Mengrai

Phaya Mengrai is a district of Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Wiang Chai, Wiang Chiang Rung, Chiang Khong, Khun Tan and Thoeng of Chiang Rai Province.-History:...

 and Thoeng

Amphoe Thoeng

Thoeng is a district in the eastern part of Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Pa Daet, Mueang Chiang Rai, Wiang Chai, Phaya Mengrai, Khun Tan, Wiang Kaen of Chiang Rai Province...

 of Chiang Rai Province.

The important water resource is the Kok River

Kok River

The Kok River originates in Shan State, Burma. It flows down and across the Burma-Thailand border to Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai Province, passing under Phahonyothin Road. Most of its length is in Chiang Rai Province passing the districts Mueang Chiang Rai, Mae Chan, Chiang Saen and Wiang Chai. It...

.

History

The minor district (King Amphoe) was created on June 17 1974, when the three tambon Wiang Chai, Thung Ko and Pha Ngam were split off from Mueang Chiang Rai

Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai

Mueang Chiang Rai is the capital district of Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Mae Fa Luang, Mae Chan, Wiang Chiang Rung, Wiang Chai, Thoeng, Pa Daet, Phan, Mae Lao, Mae Suai of Chiang Rai Province and Mae Ai of Chiang Mai Province.The important water...

 district.
It was upgraded to a full district on March 25 1979.

Administration

The district is subdivided into 5 subdistricts (tambon

Tambon

Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...

), which are further subdivided into 75 villages (muban

Muban

Muban is the lowest administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as village, they are the subdivision of tambon. As of 2008, there are 74944 administrative villages in Thailand. As of the 1990 census, the average village consisted of 144 households or 746 persons.A muban does not...

). The township (thesaban tambon) Wiang Chai covers parts of tambon Wiang Chai and Mueang Chum. There are further 5 Tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

No.	Name	Thai	Villages	Inh. Population A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
2.	Wiang Chai Wiang Chai Wiang Chai is a village and tambon of Wiang Chai District, in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. In 2005 it had a total population of 11,117 people. The tambon contains 20 villages.-References:...	เวียงชัย	20	11,117
3.	Pha Ngam Pha Ngam Pha Ngam is a village and tambon of Wiang Chai District, in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. In 2005 it had a total population of 9,083 people. The tambon contains 15 villages....	ผางาม	15	9,083
4.	Wiang Nuea Wiang Nuea, Wiang Chai Wiang Nuea is a village and tambon of Wiang Chai District, in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. In 2005 it had a total population of 6,574 people. The tambon contains 12 villages....	เวียงเหนือ	12	6,574
6.	Don Sila Don Sila Don Sila is a village and tambon of Wiang Chai District, in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. In 2005 it had a total population of 9,920 people. The tambon contains 17 villages....	ดอนศิลา	17	9,920
8.	Mueang Chum	เมืองชุม	11	7,274

Missing numbers are tambon which now form Wiang Chiang Rung district.